A Truly Great Teaching From The Holy Spirit Through A Sensitive Servant...
The Rule of Peace
By Kriston Couchey kcouchey04@earthlink.net
By Kriston Couchey kcouchey04@earthlink.net
KNOWING GOD'S WILL
1Co 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.There should never be confusion among the children of God as to God's will. God has freely given us all things in Christ Jesus, including His direction in EVERY path we are to take in life. He has given us His Holy Spirit. The Spirit gives us direction that we may know and walk fully in God's will. If you are truly His child, you are never without the Spirit of God who desires constant communion and fellowship. And how does He, the Spirit of truth lead us into God's will? He leads us by the Peace of God.
GOD'S PEACE IS YOUR RULER
Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Strong's definition for the word "rule" is: to umpire, decide, determine, direct, control, or rule.
The world's definition of peace is: everyone gets along and tolerates each other. But this is not God's peace. The peace of God within is the inward indicator that directs or controls us. The pathway of obedience to God's will is paved by peace in the inner man. This does not mean our flesh does not revolt against the will of God, what it means is we must learn to walk "hearing" the voice of the Spirit within us and crucifying the flesh. We walk in a sense of peace when we are in obedience, or we experience a lack of it when we chose our own will. Peace or the lack of it is the yes and no answer of God to us. Every activity we engage in is either in concert with His will or not, and His peace is the umpire within that gives us the "green go" or "red stop" light. In all we do and say we gauge the direction and intentions of the Lord for our lives by His peace as the inward witness.
Strong's definition for the word "rule" is: to umpire, decide, determine, direct, control, or rule.
The world's definition of peace is: everyone gets along and tolerates each other. But this is not God's peace. The peace of God within is the inward indicator that directs or controls us. The pathway of obedience to God's will is paved by peace in the inner man. This does not mean our flesh does not revolt against the will of God, what it means is we must learn to walk "hearing" the voice of the Spirit within us and crucifying the flesh. We walk in a sense of peace when we are in obedience, or we experience a lack of it when we chose our own will. Peace or the lack of it is the yes and no answer of God to us. Every activity we engage in is either in concert with His will or not, and His peace is the umpire within that gives us the "green go" or "red stop" light. In all we do and say we gauge the direction and intentions of the Lord for our lives by His peace as the inward witness.
God does and will make known His will through scripture, speaking directly to us, dreams, visions and impressions. But, these are always accompanied with His peace. At times I personally experience a flow of peace like a river when engaged in an activity that is initiated by the Spirit within me. My fervent goal as of recently is to walk fully in this path of peace in every single aspect of my life. This is walking by the Spirit. When we lose our own will and walk submitted to only His will we remain in peace.
GOD'S REST
Isa 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.The Rest of God is about ceasing from our own works, and putting to death your own will that God's perfect will may manifest in and through us. Jesus said, "Come to me you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take MY yoke (connecting harness) upon you for my yoke is easy and my burden light." His is not a yoke of regulatory works and law . His yoke is being connected to Jesus in pulling the light burden of God's peace within. It is a bond (connection) of peace in the Holy Spirit.
When we are doing our own will, we break the connection/yoke. Here is the Rest of God: ceasing your own will and works, and walking in the easy yoke (connected to Jesus) and light burden of the peace of God.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. ~Jesus~In Gethsemane Jesus struggled with His own will vs. God's will, He became "settled" or entered into the peace of God's will when He said, "not my will, but yours be done. It was Jesus' flesh that resisted the cup of suffering on the cross, and our flesh also fears and fights. But, we can still come to peace, which is not just a feeling, but a state of being in which we are settled to do the will of God in spite of feelings. Even though Jesus sweat drops of blood there was never the lack of God's presence which is marked by His peace. He gives peace to us even in our fear. He is wanting us to enter fully into His peace by an act of our will to trust Him, and then peace fills us fully. The unsettling part is the battle.The peace of God is a tangible manifestation of the state of our relationship of trust and surrender to Father God. Total surrender to His will brings total peace.
Isa 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusts in thee.This trust and surrender is the REST of God. We are called to enter into this rest, which is the complete dependence and confidence in God's sovereignty and grace. The battle of "striving" to enter God's rest is a battle to stop our own efforts and own tendency to do it ourself and our own way out of the fear and anxiety of our flesh. I Peter 3:11 ...let him separate himself from evil and do good; let him seek peace and follow it.
PEACE IS THE SIGN OF TRUE UNITY
Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.Many unite in the name of Jesus for what they would call "Church". If you are like me, you have attended a gathering only to recognize that God is not there and His peace is not present. True unity is found in the Spirit, which is signified by a deep abiding peace of God. Gathering in a building 3 times a week does not mean God is there. True fellowship is where "the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty". There is also unity in the same Spirit in the bond of peace in and among His children.
...And entering into the house, salute it. And if the house is worthy, your peace shall come upon it; but if it is not worthy, your peace shall return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your words, depart out of that house or city and shake off the dust of your feet. ~Jesus~When you interact with others in the process of doing God's will, your peace is affected by the response of others to you. God resists the proud, and you can tell if you are not received because the measure of peace within you turns to resistance or hardening of the Spirit towards those who will not receive the Word in you. Yet when you are received God's peace flows. The state of God's peace in your heart judges or discerns the hearts of others.
PEACE AND THE BATTLE
God's peace is the greatest of weapons, disarming and disturbing the powers of hell when one who contains the peace and rest of God is present. In a spiritual battle there can be "resistance" in your inner being that needs release through prayer or intercession. This can be mistaken by the immature as missing God. But God is communicating His resistance to wickedness through this hardening in you. God is wanting us to respond in the manner He does through His inner presence and the umpire of peace within. We must harden when He hardens and flow when he flows. Let that peace rest in you as you die to your own will that God may fill you with His perfect peace. And may we learn to recognize and respond to the inner witness of the Holy Spirit.
